Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

Search This Blog

The Science Discovery Party

J turned 8 this weekend so we celebrated by having a science and discovery party for a few special scientists...

I went for a natural/biological science theme for the decorations...We all went hunting for native tree branches and "nuts" to use and recycled bottles and a chemistry flask were perfect for the vases.

The tablecloth is made from canvas, a painters drop cloth actually and very inexpensive (Bunnings). I used brown paper bags to wrap the cutlery and toy bugs under the cups. The serviettes I got a few years ago from IKEA (love that shop!)

I got the lab glassware (beakers, petri dish,flasks,test tubes and lab coats) from Wiltronics. They were all very well priced and I had good service too. I plan on using the flask for a vase and the test tubes are fantastic for all sorts of things, not just holding lollies. The holder was made from a timber offcut, holes drilled so that the tubes fit tight and not fall through.

Other decorations and equipment were a mix of our own supplies like microscopes and some models and those borrowed from a high school. The specimens were great as were the knee and heart models.

I had to make something out of cardboard, so I cut out and stuck letters to stand at the entry along with a giant magnifying glass and string balloon. I made an eyechart on the blackboard...

The boys dressed in white shirts and I made them a bow tie each.

I made this geometric string art with salvaged mdf (already painted black) and made info signs to hang around the house.

Dad and Poppy wore the lab coats and I made up some crazy ID badges using Photoshop...

I wasn't going to make a bunting, however J asked for something to hang and so I thought of stringing these origami cubes together.

The birthday tree...

The invitations -

I used Photoshop once again to make these.

We made labels for Mr Bones...

A table was set up with all sorts of science related things, including a home made lava lamp as well as another table with a robot raceway.

The boys and I made this out of cardboard and Lego and it was used to race these little bristlebots (which I called microbebot). These are all over the web, you make them with a toothbrush head, doublesided tape, watch battery and mini motor, the latter I picked up from Australian Robotics. I made little matchbox homes for them...

We did a few experiments such as the mentos geyser with the diet coke (but it wasn't quite as expected, perhaps the wrong mentos) we also did some balloon rockets, used a pulley system to demonstrate a machine making work easier for us.

This was a hot air balloon of sorts...

I saw these stress balls here and thought they would be a fun experiment. They are balloons filled with playdough and are kinda cool...

I had an old Nokia phone that we took apart and found a mini city inside.

Of course we had silly putty and slime to make.

A robot that walks up glass windows, magnets, telescope, and a solar powered car...

Our live exhibit was nowhere to be seen on the day, Bluetongues don't like crowds it seems.

Food Menu.

We glazed a ham with maple syrup, cloves and pineapple juice and had it warm with rye and some salad veggies. I made mini chicken and leek pies and cheese and pistaccio on bagel crisps. There were frozen mini brains for ice cubes as well.

The carved watermelon brain, which I found here and P did a great job on...

Atomic gingerbread cookies with white chocolate.

Baked mini caramel custards with a raspberry and toffee on top (these were yummy and good in small beakers)

Mini Orange blossom meringues.

I made an orange 8 cake with swiss buttercream icing and chocolate ants.

These ants were placed down the entry to lead our guests in and they are made from black contact paper.After sweets we played some dancing games with balloons as molecules, when I said hot we had to go fast and cold was slow moving balloons, just like when you heat and cool water.

The party bags I made out of the canvas drop sheet, a basic messenger style science field bag, which is lined with plastic to house all those shells or other scientific discoveries.

In each I placed a ply 3D model, a science field exercise book, chocolate wrapped in a vintage label, connecting erasers, mini m and ms, toy insect, and badge.

Comments

Oh my goodness! This party looks absolutely AMAZING! I wondered why things were a bit quiet on your blog.... now I know why! Woweee....So many wonderful ideas! I especially love the ID cards, Cake, Microbebots, the experiments, the watermelon brain and All the food. Everything looks wonderful Natasha, well done! Happy Birthday to J. I don't know how you will top this one (but know you will think of something equally amazing for next year!). PS the boys look so cute in their bow ties and glasses. Love it!

Thankyou so very much.Every party is fun to do, and the boys are really getting more and more creative with their ideas as they get older, so I think we will have endless ideas! Any excuse for a party I say.

Wow, totally awesome. I'm attempting to do a mad science themed party for my 7 & 8 year old boy and girl. I always try to pick gender neutral themes which is getting really hard to do. You did an excellent job. I wish I could find something like those field bags you made for the goody bags-well done all around! I at least have some ideas what to put in the bags, thanks for the inspiration-you rock and really know your way around photoshop!

So impressed with your menu too. Kids in the states only want pizza at parties-I'm so sick of pizza and will attempt to stray from the same old same old-wish me luck. :)

Oh I wish I knew my way around Photoshop, I actually just bluff my way through doing things, it is on my list of things to learn! But thanks and good luck. The bags are quite easy to make if you have a sewing machine and the time of course.

Hi there! I'm one of the editors of LilSugar and we're starting our "back to school" coverage. I think this party would be a perfect addition. Let me know if you're okay with us reposting and if there are any vendors/sources you'd like us to include. We'll link to your site. Thanks!